My second visit after 5 years - this time with a troubled mind and worrying physical health. Chaochaowo helped me flush out long-accumulated toxins stored in my blood. I finally felt reconnected with nature and myself.
Being born and raised in a high-pressure family, my childhood was filled with arguments with parents due to their high academic expectations and my ‘unrelenting pursuit’ of playing video games. I couldn’t deal with the emotional violence, so I learned to suppress emotions and became the ‘perfect student’ they wanted. Slowly but surely, everything started to crumble. I was as a kid diagnosed with depression, my physical health was deteriorating, and my parents basically felt like strangers to me. The solution was various ways to escape from reality, though they never worked.

Being successful capitalists, the way my parents loved me was to make me become the most successful person. I wished I could. I also wished I could pursue my passion. This conflict killed me. Eventually, I went studying abroad and lost contact with my family. It became a long search for self-love. And it wasn’t easy.

“Let me play. Let me indulge myself with video games. Let me daydream. Let me be an imperfect, ignorant kid. Let me make mistakes. Let me own my actions and responsibilities. Let me lead my own life. Then it will no longer be a conflict to both love you and love myself.” If I knew how to express this to my parents when I was small, and if they could listen, then maybe my family wouldn’t fall apart like it did.

Being in Chaochaowo, I had the chance to reconnect with nature. I felt like returning to a home I never knew. The food was amazing, and my loss of appetite was cured; Sun Salutation improved my back pain; pine needle juice flushed out toxins in my body and mind. Building the Firebird was a healing experience as I learned to live in the moment as if I were a kid. Everything here is so precious. Thank you, Chaochaowo. Thank you, Amalina and Lokanatha.

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Jason Chang

Recently I just went there for 3 days and 2 nights retreat . I had wonderful experiences there. Both of Amalina and Lokanatha are very warm and kind couples. They are more than happy to share their experiences and knowledge during my stay there with them .Amalina cooks delicious meals and Lakanatha advised me how to take care of myself and my body through drinking water, detox juice and honey lemon water.
The room where I stayed was fantastic and beautiful . The environment is nice and surroundings are beautiful trees and they built it with their heart to welcome all the visitors ....

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Amy Kuo